The invention relates to a control pulse generator for the cyclical fault-free generation of an accurate sequence of control pulses, utilizing a quartz generator for initiating actuation of a plurality of serially connected delay members over a control circuit which, when temporal coincidence occurs of the period duration of the quartz generator signals with the running time of the serially connected delay members, forms what might be termed a "self-holding" circuit.
Generators of this type are required in the control of processing sequences in digitally functioning switching control mechanisms, and it is important that the control signals meet relatively rigid prescribed conditions with respect to their temporal duration and cyclical sequence. Modern pulse-current supplies for digital mechanisms of this type can, for example, be so constructed that a control pulse generator of the type mentioned generates a pulse program which forms a pacemaker for the entire system and thus synchronously controls a plurality of pulse generators. A pulse-current supply of this type for a two-channel circuit system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,558. This safety circuit functions with anti-valent switching variables in the form of two rectangular signal voltages of identical sequence frequency and amplitude, but with a phase difference of 180.degree. for differentiating the two values of the switching variables. In addition to the signal voltages referred to, a monitoring pulse of at least twice the sequence frequency is required, which pulse lies outside the edge range of the signal voltages. A phase control pulse necessary for control purposes, as well as an edge control pulse must have a rigid correlation to each other in order to insure a proper progress of all control operations.
As the control pulse generator, triggering the edge control pulse, the monitoring pulse and the phase control pulse is not constructed in accordance with special safety principles, but can comprise a simple frequency divider circuit, the accuracy of conditions with regard to temporal duration and sequence of the admitted pulses cannot be absolutely guaranteed.